Dirigible headlight.



1, M. ERWN.

mamme HEADUGHT.

Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

l. M. ERVIN.

DfRlGlBLE HEADLIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED ]AN.Z,19I4.

1,179,169. )utentw Mw" 11.1816.

2 SHEETS-SHYEEI Z- JAMES MATHEW ERVIN, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

DIRIGTBL'E HEADLIGHT.

Application .filed January 2, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES Mnfrnnw ERVIN, acitizen of the l'nited. States of America, residing at Detroit in thecounty of Vayne and State of ll'lichigan, have 1nvented certain new anduseful Improvements in Dirigible Headlights, of which the fiollowing isa specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to a lamp shifting mechanism for vehicles of thattype coinmonly styled dirigihlc lamps wherein mechanism is actuated'from a iehicle. for turning or swinging lump or hinternholdsiniultaneous with the steering wheels of the vehicle.

The primary object of my invention is to provide simple and effectivemeans,l as hereinafter set forth, for instantly turning or swinginglamps or lanterns in unison with the steering wheels of the vehicle,whereby of light lwill be immediately cast 1n the path to he traveled bythe vehicle. I

'further ohicct of this invention 1S to provide automaticallyindependently actuated lamps or lanterns, one of which remains straightehe-ad while the other turns rays of light/in the curved psth traveledby the vehicle until the vehicle assumes practically a straight pu th,at which time the shifted lamp or lantern assumes a positionstraiglit.iihead and cooperates with the other lamp or lantern inilluminating the path. of travel.

With the shove and other objects in view, the invention resides in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to behereinafter specifically described and then claimed.

Reference will now he held to the drawings. wherein* Figure 1 is a planof a, portion of a vehicle provided with the lamp shifting mechanism.showing by dotted lines one of tln` lamps or lanterns in a, shiftedposition. Fig. i2 is an enlarged perspective view ot' e hifnrcated crankadapted to form part of the mechanism; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of thelamp shifting mechanism as applied to a portion of a vehicle; Fig. 4 isa longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the mechanism, Fig. 5 ise. plan of the saine. Fig. 6 is a perspective View illustrziting :imodified form of connection hetwecn the steering gear and the 'lampshiftingr mechanism,

In the drawings,l denotes the side frames Sperm-:ation or' LettersPatent.

Patented Apr. 11 1916.

Serial No. $10,045.

of a vehicle, which are preferably made of channel bars haring lateralllanges 2 and 3. rlfhe forward ends of the frames l. are supported bysprings l relatively to an axle 5, said axle having the ordinaryknuckles 6 for steering wheels 7. The knuckles 6 are provided withcranks 8 pivot-ally connected together by a rcnch rod 9 and this rod,together with the elements l to 8 'inclusive, ure of the ordinary undwell known type forming pnrts of motor driven vehicles..

Riveted or otherwise connected to the lateral flange 2 of each .frame 1is a bracket 10 carried by the upper end of ay vertical tubular bearing1l preferably arranged at the inner side of the twine 1 and extendingbelow the-llange 3 of said frame. The lower end of the bearing 11 isreduced, as at 12 and provided with on annular flange 13, said iangebeing removed from the `end of the bearing, whereby a cover plate 14 canbe mounted upon the reduced end 12 of the bearing, against the flange13, and welded 0r otherwisesccnred thereto, whereby the cover plate 14will form a part of the bearing l1 and be supported thereby. The coverplate 4 is substantially rectangular in plan and connected to the edgesof said cover plate, by screws 15 or other fastening means are imvardlyprojecting apertured lugs 1,6 curricd by the upper edge of a casing 17.The casing 17 is flat and extends under the llange 3 ol the frame 1 atzipproxiniawly right angles thereto.

The cover plate ll, adjacent to the outer end thereof, has a dependingstud 18 and pivotally mounted upon said stud is the berrel 19 ot' a bellcrank having a short arm 20 and a long erin 21. The short arm 20 isconnected, as :it to a. coiled retractile spring said spring having theopposite end thereof connected to n post or hold fast device 24, carriedby the bottoni of the casing 17.

The long arm 21 of the bell crank extends longitudinally of the casingl? and has the ends thereof provided with a post 25. Revolubly mountedupon the post and resting upon the arm 21 is a spool or roller 26provided with peripheral fianges 27 and 28. The flange 28 has anintegral lateral apertured extension 29, the purpose of which willhereinafter appear, The spool or roller 26 engages in the bifurcation orslot 30 of a crank 3l forming part of a huh i'nounted iiimn the lowm(and ni' :x spindle 33 that is iii-mid v- 'mugs ,3i

pivwiwi The hotmm nl thx, casing l? hns :i post, -iifi px'oviuml with :iscruw 43 :ind thi sffiuv: eingugis the (trank fil and limits the mowment of said crunk in oni: ilireurn. Tin.l crank is normally h:lt1 innngzigcmvnt with the scm-w by the to in nf' thvy Spring 23 :mil withsiiirl crunk longitudinally Uf thu casing, 'ihn lump bmckc-,t is held in:i srziight ahem] position.

In oiioi'atiinn, will msnm@ thai, move munt, i5 iinpfi'ted tn thi ruin/hrmi E) wlmr'cby the whfsvls 7 im; Hhii'x'mi io the pnsiliun indicaivd hydotted linees in Fig; l. (lne of the cables 2li? is puller] upon whiletha nthor is aliiiwm] if) hcmrm slack ini'licnteil hy dottfl lines inFig.'A l, and the mhh, that is pullml upon immediately Shifts the bellcrunk unil thel Infini: nl' the spindle 2K3.

By i-cfviienf'v, in Fig'. D, it Will be observed that ih, t -sml xri'nlhw 21") trium-ls uutwai'dly ii@ ihr iii-f'zsjfvzn nl' Slot il() nl"the crank 3l., femm-fi :iiily li spindle is pni'iizilly T0- @van f.'Flin ami-,rui openings 5l permit (if a .H 1;;1' uumrnvnt mi' theupright, 30 i'elntml 1.a ihn mils Si?. f'niiscqiwnlly there im; "fioxilsiliij: in ihn crimini: mnh in pernizf wf' me; lizimcs l rshiflingrelatively m the iQ-,i1 ,fi' flic which .wie 'h'fimiilf: (cunneftionbetween the fiw ihr izin'ip nr lantern actuzilei limi ,Y xl@ frominjui'ing the lump Us i l'ting mechanism 0i' zemailing il-i :fi miinn.This is :iccompiishzd by using Ll; il??? although in some in stances mlmfini-fiftinns can ne resorted to.

Semi l, iiff Him? shifting mcrlmnism is freu imm :my fill? .inn im (thepart of the operator nl' thv wiiiixi; if not. requiring any special mmlm' iwi levez-f@ tn swing the lamps m' hinlvvns iii i fh Wifi dii'mctirm.Thi# nr-f'umpif-:hwyl hy mnnwfiinf: hv :wmzltiiig nwvhsinisin if) heWach wd i?.

Third, i1 (in-fiitiw :und fiiiic'l; action is obtainmi hy iasiziglmrtammi@ in Connection wih the spinilvs nf the lumps or hmtein. I which.fwmsiilmiilhr importance to the novel cnnstmwtiim of ih, actuating:means :i lump m' lnntwn i@ inianly shiftOd bv n iight nimm-Hiwit of iiivzi'h mil i?. i

Ffien'tliA hf: y'nm'ifling inrlpmiilmltly op uriie-xl innig firlanterns, sin enabled tu nmintuin :i .at iight nmsifl ilsmgwi' signalwhile thv nil'mi' lmnp m' lantern ilhiiiiinutvs thu with tn hr'.trzivvlml by the whiulv. This iQ n wnliil wlwn trnvoling (ciu-vwl :xmlsinnn mff i'mulsy :mil vhiiti'ihutws to thv Saleh of lw w'frligrfinls ofthix vehicle. i

finit l claim is:--

l. in :a lmnp shifting mechanism 'fm' vefim 'imhinution with fl'mneS,and l ,gamin uf icitiml bearings carried by the inner side of saidframes, casings secured to lower ends of said bearings, lamps havingspindles rotatably mounted in said bearings, bifurcated cranks carriedby the lower ends of said spindles, bell cranks arranged within saidcasing and engaging the cranks of seid spindles, and means connectingsaid bell cranks and said steering gears whereby said bell cranks can beindepend- Yently shifted to impart movement to the spindles of saidlamps.

2. In a lamp shifting mechanism for ve hicles, the combination withframes, and a steering gear, of lamp spindles rotatably supported bysaid frames, bifurcated cranks carried by said spindles, pivoted bellcranks engaging the cranks of said spindles, and means connecting saidbell cranks and said steering gear whereby said bell cranks can beindependently actuated by a movement of said steering gear.

3. In a lamp shifting mechanism for veA hicles, the combination withframes, and a steering. gear, of bearings carried by said frames, lampshaving spindles rotatably mounted in said bearings, cranks carried bysaid spindles, pivoted bell cranks engaging the cranks of said spindles,and flexible connections between said steering gear and said bell crankswhereby said bell cranks can be independently operated through themedium of said steering gear.

4. In a lamp shifting mechanism for vehicles, the combination with asteering gear and lamps having spindles rotatably snpported adjacent tosaid steeriiirf;4 gear, of cranks carried by said spindles, pivoted bellcranks engaging the cranks ci said spindles, and a flexible connectionbetween said steering gear and said bell cranks whereby said bell crankscan be independently operated.

5. In a lamp shifting mechanism for "chicles, theccmbination withbearings, and lamp brackets havingr spindles rotatably mounted in saidbearings, of bifurcated cranks carried by said spindles, bell crankspivotally mounted adjacent to said bifurcated cranks, flanged rollerscarried by said bell cranks and engaging in the bifurcation of the firstmentioned cranks, and means connected t'o said bell cranks whereby saidspindles can be inde endently rotated.

6. .In a lamp shi ting mechanism for vehicles, the combination with asteering gear, Vvertical bearin s, and lamp brackets having Aspindlesrotata 1y mounted in said bearings, of casings carried by said bearings,cranks carried by said s indles within said casings, means actuated ysaid steering gear'and housed within sad casings for imparting movementto the ranks of said spindles.

7. In a lamp shifting mechanism for vehicles, the combination with asteering gear,

vertical bearin s, and lamp brackets having spindles rotate ly mountedin said bearin s, of casings carried by said bearings, cran carried bysaid spindles within said casings, means actuated by said steering gearand housed within said casings for imparting movement to the cranks ofsaid spindles, and means Within said casings for holding said lampbrackets in a normally straight ahead position.

8. In a lamp Shilling; mechanism for hicles, bearings, lamp bracketsliax in" sp idles rotatably mounted in said bearings. casings carriedsaid bearings and inclosing the lower ends of said spindles, crankscarried by said spindles with in said casingns. and flexible meansentering said casings and adapted to independently shift said spin`dies. y

9. In a lamp shifting mechanism for Tehicles, the combination with asteering4 gear. of bearings in proximity thereto, lump brackets havingspindles rotatably nioun in said bearings, casings carried by lower endsof said bearings and inclosing the ends of said spindles, cranks carriedby said spindles within said casings, flexible means entering saidcasings for independently moving said spindles, and means housed Withinsaid casings for holding said lamp brackets normally in a straight aheadposition.

l0. In a lamp shitting mechanism for ve hiclcs. casings, lamp bracketshaving the spindles extending into said casings, cranks carried by saidspindles within said oasings, bell cranks pivotnlly mounted in said caings and adapted to impart movement te the cranks of said spindles :indflexible means entering said casings and adapted to .independentlynctuate the bell cranks therein.

ll. In a lamp shifting mechanism for vehicles. thc` combination withframes, and a steering,r gear, of vertical tubular bearings supported bysaid frames, lamp brackets havinf.,r spindles rotatably mounted in saidbearings, casings inclosing the ends of said spindles, bifurcated crankscarried by said spindles within said casings, spring held pivotcd bellcranks within said casings and adapted to impart movement to the cranksof said spindles, and cables connecting said steering mechanism and saidbell cranks whereby movement can be independently imparted to thespindles of said lamp` brackets. Y

In testimony whereof I ailix my in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES MATHEW ERVIN.' Witnesses:

HIRAM Hass, Kirrin ERVIN.

signature,

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